Just 24 hours after most of the Tuesday primaries were called and there’s been a tiny little shift in the woe-is-Democrats narrative for the mid term elections.

Democrats are celebrating their primary victories, especially in Colorado, with a “unity” event today in Denver. There is some worry among Republicans that by choosing more conservative candidates in the primaries they’ll lose key independent voters. And Democrats are happily lining up to exploit some of the more eccentric statements and incidents (see bong hits and alleged kidnappings) of certain Republican candidates.

Democrats are still facing a potential wipeout, but at least for one day in August, there’s a little spring in the step for party professionals.

Good Thursday morning and welcome to The Huddle.

BIG PICTURE: Will Republicans lose independents with their candidates moving to the right? Jeff Zeleny in The New York Times: “The Republican field is nearly set in Congressional races, with primaries across the country producing a lineup of candidates that has steadily tilted to the right, a shift that is altering the dynamic — but not necessarily the outcome — of the midterm elections.

“The slate of general election prospects includes fewer moderate Republicans than party leaders had imagined when they began recruiting candidates a year ago, and more backed by the Tea Party movement. The results leave Republicans facing a critical question heading into the general election: Can the added enthusiasm of their conservative base for the insurgent candidates offset a potential loss of appeal to independent and centrist voters? Senate primaries in Colorado and Connecticut on Tuesday, where the preferred choices of the Republican establishment lost, have given fresh hope to Democrats that Republicans may not be able to fully capitalize on a favorable political environment.” http://nyti.ms/aRj7BC

THE ECCENTRIC CAUCUS? POLITICO’s Alex Burns writes what everyone has been talking about for months – this year’s crop of candidates is just a little bit odder than most years: “A former professional wrestling executive, a libertarian ophthalmologist and a man who thinks bicycle use could empower the United Nations filed to run in elections. That’s not the start of a joke: that’s a sampling of the deeply unusual pool of candidates running – and actually being nominated – for high office this year.

“A phenomenon that began with physician Rand Paul’s victory in the Kentucky Senate primary has effectively gone national: Primary voters are again and again choosing offbeat candidates shunned by national party strategists, and imperiling potential Republican gains this November in the process. Elections this week in Colorado and Connecticut yielded a new crop of oddball nominees. Ken Buck, a gaffe-prone prosecutor once ordered to take ethics classes for his handling of an illegal guns case, defeated former Colorado Lt. Gov. Jane Norton in a Republican Senate primary. In Connecticut, Linda McMahon, who founded World Wrestling Entertainment with her husband Vince, was linked to steroid investigations and appeared in numerous violent and sexually suggestive sketches, bested Rob Simmons, a former congressman and decorated veteran, for the GOP’s Senate nomination.” http://politi.co/cKoOB3

TAX CUTS ADD TO DEFICIT: Republicans aren’t talking about paying for tax cuts, and their plan would add to the deficit, as Lori Montgomery writes in The Washington Post: “A Republican plan to extend tax cuts for the rich would add more than $36 billion to the federal deficit next year -- and transfer the bulk of that cash into the pockets of the nation's millionaires, according to a congressional analysis released Wednesday.

“New data from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation show that households earning more than $1 million a year would reap nearly $31 billion in tax breaks under the GOP plan in 2011, for an average tax cut per household of about $100,000. The analysis, requested by Democrats on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, comes as debate heats up over tax cuts enacted during the Bush administration, most of which are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. Republicans want to extend all the cuts, which would cost the Treasury Department $238 billion in 2011, according to the taxation committee.” http://bit.ly/9gN29u

BAD POLL FOR EVERYONE: Could this one be more grim? The Wall Street Journal poll today: “Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy and the war in Afghanistan, and are losing faith that Democrats have better solutions than Republicans, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. Underpinning the gloom: Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe the economy has yet to hit bottom, a sharply higher percentage than the 53% who felt that way in January.

“The sour national mood appears all-encompassing and is dragging down ratings for the GOP too, suggesting voters above all are disenchanted with the political establishment in Washington. Just 24% express positive feelings about the Republican Party, a new low in the 21-year history of the Journal's survey. Democrats are only slightly more popular, but also near an all-time low.” http://bit.ly/9ueeTp

CHAIRMAN VITTER? It’s possible, as POLITICO’s Morning Energy reports: “At a Louisiana Municipal Association conference over the weekend, Vitter floated the possibility that he could be the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee next year - assuming he gets past Democrat Charlie Melancon in November.

"In the new Congress I stand a very good chance to be either the top ranking Republican on that committee or, should the majority change, the chairman of that committee, so I'm going to take that work very seriously," Vitter said on the video, unearthed by the Huffington Post. Vitter is a friend to the oil and chemical industries, with a lifetime League of Conservation Voters score of about 3 percent. He is currently the No. 3 Republican on the panel, behind Chairman Jim Inhofe and George Voinovich, who is retiring. HuffPost story: http://huff.to/aHFDn5 Video: http://bit.ly/bAZPaV

RANGEL CELEBRATES: New York still loves Charlie Rangel, as Maggie Haberman reports in POLITICO: “Shrugging the weight of his troubles off his shoulders for a few hours, Rep. Charles Rangel basked in the glow of praise from a host of Democratic officials, longtime backers and New York players at a lush 80th birthday bash/fundraiser at The Plaza Hotel that was closely monitored for mood and attendance in the wake of the House ethics case against him.

“There was a palpable sense of frustration among some Rangel supporters with some of the pressure on him. Even the normally reserved former mayor of New York City, David Dinkins, flipped the bird to a loud heckler who was shouting "crook" to almost every African-American man who entered the hotel.” http://politi.co/adeEf0

SOCIAL SECURITY PAYOFF? Some Democrats want to give an $250 bonus to seniors, as Roll Call’s Kate Hunter reports: “Rep. Earl Pomeroy said Wednesday he will push legislation this fall that would provide a one-time $250 payment to seniors as he and two other Democrats, back home in their districts after a one-day House session, touted their party’s efforts to protect Social Security.

“Pomeroy, who is in a tough race to hold his North Dakota seat, told reporters in an afternoon conference call that he had been holding events throughout his state and meeting with seniors to highlight Social Security’s 75th anniversary. Pomeroy was joined on the call by Reps. Ron Klein of Florida and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois. He said seniors in his state were worried their Social Security benefits could be reduced. “We reject those who propose benefit cuts for Social Security,” Pomeroy said, seizing on a Democratic theme that Republicans, if they win control of the House, would attempt to privatize the program or reduce benefits.” http://bit.ly/9aogfP

ALAN GRAYSON, UNPLUGGED: Alan Grayson on Robert Gibbs … here we go, from Jordan Fabian in The Hill: “Rep. Alan Grayson (Fla.) Wednesday became the second congressional Democrat to call for White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs' ouster, using colorful moniker to describe him. Gibbs raised the ire of liberals Tuesday when he told The Hill that some left-wing critics of the Obama administration "ought to be drug tested." Grayson, who is known for his boisterous comments, called Gibbs "Bozo the Spokesman." http://bit.ly/cy6SsR

TROUBLE BANK IN WATERS CASE: The head of the bank in the Maxine Waters ethics case left a trail of troubles, as the L.A. Times’ Scott Reckard and Stuart Pfeiffer report: “OneUnited Bank, the financial institution at the center of a congressional ethics investigation involving Rep. Maxine Waters, paid for a luxurious lifestyle for its chairman, including a Porsche and a house on Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica despite his having a record that includes arrests and allegations of drug use. The bank has been criticized by regulators in Florida for having an unusually poor record of lending to people in low-income neighborhoods. It also has failed to pay back $12 million in federal bailout funds. The bank chairman, Kevin L. Cohee, assembled one of the country's largest African American-owned banks, with more than half a billion dollars in assets, in a coast-to-coast acquisition spree unusual for a bank focused on lower-income customers.” http://bit.ly/c3Kmov

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY with MJ LEE:

BEER AT CHURCH?: The Kentucky Senate candidate is in hot water over comments he made about a local church. Roger Alford in the Associated Press: “Republican Rand Paul apologized Wednesday for saying he worried beer would be thrown at a church picnic he attended last weekend in western Kentucky. The U.S. Senate candidate issued the apology through a statement from campaign manager Jesse Benton. Paul told conservative radio personality Sean Hannity on Tuesday he worried people would throw beer on him at the picnic hosted by St. Jerome Catholic Church in Fancy Farm, a tiny agricultural community. Parishioners complained that Paul's comments created a false perception of the event. Beer isn't served at the picnic. Alcohol sales are illegal in the community, and nothing was thrown at anyone.” http://bit.ly/bRckIH

NOT A FRIEND OF RANGEL: A member of the Congressional Black Caucus responds negatively to Rangel’s speech on the House floor. Mary Orndorff in the Birmingham News: “Asked if Rep. Charlie Rangel's dramatic floor speech Tuesday helped or hurt the New York congressman's cause, Rep. Artur Davis of Birmingham was clearly perturbed. ‘It was definitely a distraction,’ Davis said in a brief interview after Rangel's emotional speech. … Davis long ago got crossways with Rangel when he suggested the Harlem congressman step down as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee when the House ethics committee announced its initial findings this spring.” http://bit.ly/acrir8

GREENE VS. MEEK: Adam C. Smith and Beth Reinhard in the St. Petersburg Times with details on Tuesday’s debate for the Democratic Senate nomination in FLorida: “Jeff Greene and Kendrick Meek used their only statewide televised debate Tuesday to blast each other's character and credentials while complaining about negative attacks. ‘I was brought up as a kid that if you have nothing good to say you say nothing at all,’ billionaire Palm Beach real estate mogul Greene said, wasting no time in calling Meek a failed career politician and part of the ‘culture of corruption.’

U.S. Rep. Meek in turn called Greene ‘a bad man,’ who mistreats employees, has little track record as a Democrat or Floridian and plenty of shady business dealings: ‘I have more integrity in my pinky than you have in your whole body.’” http://bit.ly/9mP98t

TBD WASHINGTON WEATHER: A record high of 97 was reached at Dulles yesterday, and if you're sick of the intense heat, you're in luck as temperatures will be noticeably cooler and closer to average starting today. However, we don't get a break from the humidity as it will remain high and uncomfortable. Expect highs in the upper 80s this afternoon with more clouds than sunshine.

"Will Republicans lose Independents as their candidates move to the right ? " I suspect no more so than DemmoCraps losing Independents as their party has careened to the socialist left. Oh wait ! All the polls show that the Indy's have deserted the party of O'Blunder and Nancy and Harry. In large numbers. The only thing that remains to be seen is how much they listen to the MSDM (Main Stream DemmoCrap Media) and how bad the can 'o Whoop Azzzzz the Repubs put on the 'Crappers in November.

"DemmoCraps" ah, here is a wit to challenge Rostand's guy with the Big Schnoz- how could "you pug, you knob, you button-head" ever compare? The "massacre-wave" thing is amazing- it was just propaganda to get some contributor action that the MSM grabbed and ran with. Overturn the Health Care Act? Really...any chance the Gops can pick up 27 Senate this time? (& the strategy to **** off blacks, hispanics, when you want Dem base to sit this out? might as well have found a huge hornets nest, set a firecracker off in it, then stuck one's head in the hole that left. Going after gays again? Get ready for the outings. "Corruption" folks in brick outhouses shouldn't be throwing champagne glasses.) But let's look at something significant, not just cant- the Q of whether to extend the Bush cuts. What if nothing gets agreed to and the driop dead date comes into effect? Or, rather, as those who would prefer to avoid the Cap Gains up bump take action, what happens...and soon? If a significant wave of sell hits the DOW, et al.....? Ah, see?X

Well the Democrats won a little but with all the things going on negatively in the last eighteen months its sure not to continue. What with wasting tax-payers money on phony stimulous that much of goes oversees and whatever they want to use it for. And not protecting the borders of America with enough troops to do the job right , ask Arizona. And then not treating terrorists like the murdurers they are by military trials and executions if they are guilty. As well as allowing a mosque to be built at ground zero site to a man who thinks Hamas is ok with him the avowed enemy of the Nation of Israel. And also now repairing mosques around the world with tax-payer dollars. Now for some time now the A.C.L.U. and our government with the Supreme Coart has said we cant have the Holy Bible in the Public Schools , or prayer , or the ten commandments because of something they call the separation of Church and State . Although the founders did not want a state sponsered church they were never against having faith , or expressions of it around our government buildings at all and congress is not to prohibit the free exercise thereof either . But now where are all these people and groups now , the atheists , the A.C.L.U. , the supreme coart and liberal religionists. I for one do not want my tax-payer dollars going by this administration to rebuild religious mosques for the Muslim Religion. Well those people added separation of Church and State in their imaginations to the Constitution so let them start to have separation of Mosque and State also ! All these years these people have been complaining about Manger Scenes at Christmas time , Mennorahs during Hannakuh which are Christian and Jewish Holidays. So this all sounds like a lot of Hypocrisy by this administration and the liberals of this country and they should not be voted for at all by anyone since they dont stand even on what they say they believe . So lets put a stop to this government waste of tax-payer dollars and give it back to the American People to stimulate their economy and produce real jobs . Sincerely ;

J way, you are the reason why the Democrats are feeling better about our prospects in the political arena. Democratic policies aren't perfect, but you sound crazy. No one wants to vote for that anymore.